Vegas Vacation

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Vegas Vacation

Vegas Vacation poster
Directed by Stephen Kessler
Produced by Jerry Weintraub
Written by Elisa Bell & Bob Ducsay
Starring Chevy Chase
Beverly D'Angelo
Randy Quaid
Ethan Embry
Marisol Nichols
Music by Joel McNeely
Cinematography William A. Fraker
Editing by Seth Flaum
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date(s) February 14, 1997 (USA)
Running time 93 min.
Language English
Preceded by National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
Followed by National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure (2003)
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Vegas Vacation is a 1997 comedy film. It is the fourth film in the Vacation film series centering around the fictitious Griswold family, following National Lampoon's Vacation, National Lampoon's European Vacation, and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Chevy Chase reprises his starring role as Clark W. Griswold, the patriarch of the family.

Contents

[edit] Plot

At work, Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) has invented a long life food preservative that has gotten him a large bonus check. Clark announces to his family that he is taking them on vacation. Enthusiasm wanes, however, when Clark says they are headed to Las Vegas, Nevada.

His wife, Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo), and teenage daughter, Audrey (Marisol Nichols) have their doubts, as Las Vegas is not known for its family-friendly atmosphere, while Rusty (Ethan Embry) appears to be more eager, even asking if prostitution is legal there.

Upon arriving in Vegas, the family embarks upon a series of mishaps and adventures. Clark crosses paths with Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid), the husband of Ellen's cousin Catherine (Miriam Flynn). Eddie and his family now live in the desert just north of Las Vegas, on what used to be an H-bomb test site.

While on a group tour of the gigantic Hoover Dam, Clark foolishly leaves the group after accidentally creating a leak in the dam's inside walkways, and is forced to climb the scaffolding to the very top of the dam to get out, because his cries for help cannot be heard over the roaring water of the spillway.

During the vacation in Las Vegas, Clark becomes addicted to Gambling, Rusty gets a fake ID and becomes a winning high roller, Audrey starts hanging out with Eddie's wild stripper daughter Vickie (Shae D'Lyn), and Ellen becomes addicted to Wayne Newton (playing as himself), who may have feelings for Ellen, and it's making Clark jealous.

After Clark gambles away the family's $22,600 bank account, Eddie, who has money buried in his front yard, tries to come to the Griswold family's rescue in return for everything the Griswolds have done for him and his family over the years.

Ultimately, the family begins to fall apart, thanks to Clark's obsessive gambling, Ellen's infatuation with Wayne Newton, Rusty's new winning lifestyle, and Audrey's desire to hang out with Cousin Vicki rather than her family.

The Griswolds must learn how to come together as a family, or "Sin City" just might destroy their very fabric.

The Griswolds play a keno game. The person next to them won the game. But unfortunately he then passed away. After paramedics took him away his ticket was almost vacuumed up but Clark stepped on it with his foot and kept the ticket. The Griswolds got their money back. Clark and Ellen remarry at the end. Rusty told his father Clark that he won 4 different cars. Clark tells Rusty to give him all of the keys. He gives them out to each family member to drive when returning home. Clark drives home the Hummer that Rusty won.

[edit] Production

  • The Mirage Resort on the Las Vegas Strip was a major filming location for this movie.
  • Filmed during the busy tourist season, from mid-June, through late September 1996.
  • Several sections of the movie are filmed at Shenandoah, the home of entertainer Wayne Newton, who also appears in the film.
  • Producer Jerry Weintraub makes a cameo appearance as "Gilly from Philly".
  • Siegfried and Roy's world-famous stage show is featured, with the entertainers (and tigers) interacting with Chase.
  • Wallace Shawn, Julia Sweeney, and Toby Huss have small roles; Sid Caesar appears in a cameo. Toby Huss portrayed a young Frank Sinatra impersonator/fake i.d. salesman. The role was similar to a number of MTV commercials from the early 90's that featured Huss as a Vegas crooner.
  • The "Cousin Vicki" and "Cousin Dale" characters appear here for the first time since the original Vacation film (though both are played by different actors).
  • Early working titles included National Lampoon's Las Vegas Vacation and National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation.

[edit] Tagline

  • This time the Griswolds are on a roll.

[edit] External links